Mackenzie Rivers and Dan Rivera enter the final week of the NFL season. They offer up the best selections for this weeks final games.
As the NFL regular season reaches its final week, Mackenzie Rivers and Dan Rivera turn their attention to the most volatile slate on the calendar, where motivation, rest decisions, and survivor contest leverage dominate every conversation. After a season that produced consistent winners deep into November, the focus now shifts to Week 18, a week Rivers and Rivera both describe as uniquely chaotic. Teams are openly resting starters, others are angling for draft position, and a shrinking pool of high confidence options forces bettors and contest entrants to think less about raw power ratings and more about intent. The discussion centers on the Circa Survivor contest, where six remaining entries each hold tickets worth three million dollars, creating an environment where decision theory matters as much as handicapping. The Atlanta Falcons emerge as the default option, not because they inspire confidence, but because they are one of the few teams still motivated, favored, and widely available. Rivera acknowledges his lack of faith in Atlanta’s long term direction, yet still views the matchup with New Orleans as a situation where pressure, injuries, and matchup dynamics favor the Falcons enough to justify their popularity. At the same time, both analysts emphasize that popularity itself carries risk, especially when prize equity is concentrated. Jacksonville becomes the standout alternative for entrants who still have them available, driven by clear divisional stakes and a favorable matchup against a Tennessee team with little incentive to push beyond development goals. Rivera repeatedly stresses that motivation is the defining variable this week, pointing to teams that need wins to secure divisions or seeding as the most reliable investments. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are singled out as a team to avoid entirely, with Rivera citing defensive breakdowns, offensive injuries, and visible disengagement. Kansas City also draws skepticism, with recent performances and rest decisions making them an unattractive survivor option despite their reputation. As the conversation expands, Rivers highlights historical data showing that clinched teams favored against eliminated opponents tend to outperform expectations, reinforcing interest in teams like Philadelphia and the Rams depending on individual entry paths. Throughout the discussion, hedging strategy is treated as essential, not optional, with both men openly acknowledging that multi million dollar equity demands aggressive financial protection. The episode closes with a clear theme, Week 18 is not about finding the best team, but about identifying who still cares, who still has something to lose, and how to position against the decisions everyone else is making.




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